Dr. Taylor Pearce addressed the Quiz participants

loveoneanothercampaign.org

http://www.reallove.com/

Uncommon Leadership seminar by Dr. Robert Kuest

WOW this was beneficial. Thank you for supporters who made this possible.

Uncommon Relationship Seminar by author Dr. Robert Kuest

Head Teacher Meeting with Author Esme James

December's monthly Head Teacher Forum was started with reminders of the JOY God has given us to share.
Esme James, co-author or Called to Serve Biography of Dr. Modupe Taylor-Pearce graced us with inspirational words that encouraged us in our goal to develop Sierra Leone authors in our schools.

Biblical Based Curriculum Word for This Week

Reliable: Being trustworthy at all times. "Even a child is known by his actions, by whether his conduct is pure and right." Proverbs 20:11

100% participation

Transformation Education Head Teachers had a productive meeting today. All 12 of 12 schools came. WOW! To God be the glory. Do you want to come join us education in Sierra Leone?

Note of Gwen's Activities

Today I taught class 1-6 at Regent Square. This is my Tuesday schedule the rest of 2010. Language and Biblical Based Character Education are my main topics.

Secure Storage Units!

Today we worked to provide secure storage units for Transformation Education's 12 partner schools. Each storage units is being customized to meet the needs of the school. The end goal: Teaching resources secure and accessible to the teachers and students. By God's power, thanks to the help of Davies Peace Project through Marianne Kinney! WOW!

October Head Teacher Meeting Highlights

1. Shared successes and challenges so far on their school’s implementation of Classroom Management and Biblical Character training.
2. Agreed upon some policies that will encourage attendance to the meetings.
3. Formed a committee to coordinate Bible Quizzing
4. Formed a committee to coordinate Transformation Education Wise Magazine that is to be published buy TE students, teachers and staff.

"In January 2010 I escaped a snow bound England and went out to Freetown, Sierra Leone, with Mission Drect to help with a teacher training project. Most of the teachers have had little or no training or experience and are faced with classes of up to 80 children with virtually no resources. Many have had no pay for several years. But they are desperate to teach to the best of their abilities and the children are keen to learn, as it will help them escape poverty. We hoped to transform the way they teach by giving training, and by working along side them for a fortnight showing them how to teach in small groups, how to utilise music and get the children telling stories and involved in drama and ceative activities. Through this trip we aimed to offer some of the world's poorest children the best possible education and leave a lasting legacy with the teachers.
It was a far tougher challenge than we realised. It is one thing preparing materials in this country with ready access to resources and modern technology. But it is quite another matter when preparing after a day of working in the heat, dust and dirt and then coping with spasmodic electricity and water supplies. But by the end of the two weeks we all felt that, tough though it had been, by God’s grace it had been a very worthwhile time, both for us and for the teachers and children."
Sue Hookway

Associate School traing Seminar

Teacher training at Redemption School for teachers who wanted to come for a seminar on a Saturday.

Transformation Education Resource Center Manager (Samuel Sesay) and Bai Maka Bundu

Organizing Resources at the Transformation Education Resource Center

Samuel Saidu Sesay, TE Resource Center Manager and Brian Gangloff Volunteer catergorize the books are we prepare to catalogue them for. This is a fun puzzle to solve.

Digestive System Lesson

Audra an intern from Grove City College, Pennsylvania is pictured modeling an interactive Science lesson and the use of the teaching aids that are available to the teachers through the Transformation Education Resource Center.

PLEASE PRAY ABOUT

1. For each TE staff member to always live and grow in wisdom and in the Holy Spirit
2. For development of the International TE Leadership Team
3. For development of the Sierra Leone TE Leadership Team
4. That TE’s relationship with the Ministry of Education and other organizations will be Christ-centered and bring glory to God
5. Increasing number of supporters serving as the Lord leads (coming to teach, financial, spreading the news, prayer, expertise contribution…) specifically for 13 qualified Christian model teachers to come from a “developed” country to model and mentor in TE schools
6. Spiritual transformation for individuals and the nation to God’s glory!
(seek first God’s kingdom and all shall be added…increased knowledge, infrastructure, good government…)


PRAYER FOR HEAD TEACHERS
1. As they motivate their teachers to implement the new methods in their classrooms
2. As they deal with government officials because some of their teachers are not receiving salary
3. As they search for supplies and resources for their schools
4. As they strive for order in the midst of much disorder (changing school calendar schedules, people frequently sick and dying, unreliable transportation, electric, and water systems
Here are the names of the Head Teachers and schools again—maybe put each on a note card in a visible place to pray for:
1. Mrs. Jestina Mendes at Buxton Methodist Boys PM
2. Mrs. Comfort Campbell at Buxton Methodist Girls AM
3. Mrs. Patience Macauley at Buxton Methodist Infants AM
4. Mr. Mohamed Thoronka at Regent Road Baptist AM
5. Mrs. Juliette Bangura at Regent Road Baptist PM
6. Mrs. Williet Tucker at Samaria Primary
7. Mrs. Sawudatu Raschid at Regent Square Jr
8. Ms. Violet Dawdeh at Methodist City Mission
9. Mrs. Abigail Juana at Mother Esther Preparatory
10. Mrs. Bernadette Rhodes at Modern Elementary Jr
11. Mr. Samba Conteh at Modern Elementary Sr

Events and Opportunities we are prayerfully looking forward to.

I. Hope Corps Volunteers:

1. Brian Gangloff, a School Psychology doctoral student at University at Buffalo, (NY) is bringing training for Positive Reinforcement in Classroom and School Wide Management. (May -July )
2. Audra O’rouka, a Biology student of Grove City College, (PA) is bringing science and health training. (June – July )
3. Marianne Kinney, a recent graduate holding a masters degree from Teachers College, Columbia University (NY) in International Educational Development with a concentration in African Education and International Humanitarian Issues. She has acquired a Project for Peace grant to meet literacy training needs and constructive classroom discipline. See Project for Peace article for more information. (July )
4. Joshua Karoud a Canadian is planning to work with TE to discipline the youth in the school and through clubs. (September-?)

II. EduNations Three EduNations representative will be exploring the progress of the schools they are sponsoring.

III. Logos Hope Ship (bringing knowledge, help and hope) plans to be in Sierra Leone the last few weeks of June. They offer special programs to the local schools. One program allows the schools to take their students onboard the ship and the other is for a ship team to come to the schools.

IV. Vision Sharing / USA Visit: the Director Gwen Smith’s will be in the USA August to share the vision of Transformation Education at the Forth Annual TE event, churches, clubs…

V. Transformation Education Resource Centre establishing, opening and ministering. Samuel the resource centre manager will be transferring the supplies to the new space in June. He will lead in establishing a catalog and lending system, train our pilot school teachers on the centre procedures and help them use resources that are most relevant to their students.

VI. Mercy Ships’ (bringing hope and healing) plans to be in Sierra Leone for ten months in 2011. TE’s director, Gwen is a Mercy Ships’ alumni. It is Mercy Ships’ that introduced her to Sierra Leone. We look forward to opportunity to host and minister together with the crew member.

---------------
Project for Peace / Transformation Education:
Marianne Kinney wrote for a grant to for Transformation Education. She will be in Sierra Leone in July to implement the project with the following goals.
1. Professional development: We will conduct a full week of the professional development that the 120 teachers in Transformation Education partner-schools regularly request. The sessions will focus on the Four-Blocks Literacy Model and constructive discipline classroom management. The teachers are growing in these areas, yet need help in content competence and teaching methods so that the students are engaged in their learning and so that growth is holistic, i.e. behavioral, cognitive, and social. The workshops will model the active-learning methods, not simply dispensing information, but allowing teachers to practice and reflect on their teaching content and pedagogy and their pivotal role in Sierra Leone’s renewal.
2. Physical learning environments: In many classrooms of the 11 partner schools of Transformation Education (TE), teachers have no place to secure materials over night. A colleague in the Ministry of Education quickly identified this as one of the teachers’ biggest physical needs. We will coordinate the installation of at least one securable storage cabinet in each school. Teachers will then be able to access and use instructional materials that allow them to vary their teaching methods and engage their students while meeting their learning objectives.

2010 to present TE update

I. Activities with 11 pilot schools
A. TRANSFORMATION EDUCATION HEAD TEACHERS FORUM

a. We created by-laws
Aim: Review, evaluate and update the implementation of Transformation Education in the pilot schools.
Mission: Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. Luke 10:27 (Bible)
Membership: Opened to Head Teachers and a specified representative from the pilot schools.

b. We elected facilitators
Chairman Mr. Sambia Conteh: He is the head teacher of the Jr. section (3rd -6th grade) of Modern Elementary (a private school)
Vice Chairman Mrs. Jestina Mendes: She is the head teacher of the Jr. Section (3rd -6th grade) Buxton Boys (a government assisted school.)
Secretary Mr. Bockarie Kallon: He is a Senior Teacher of the Jr. school, Methodist City Mission (a government assisted school.)

B. SCHOOL VISITS
Each month Gwen spent one day in each school teaching to model implementation of Constructive Discipline, Biblical Based Character and participatory teaching/learning methods.

Here is an example of the lessons: We integrated learning the Fruits of the Spirit Galatians 5:23 into other subjects as we learned the following song. “The Fruit of the Spirit is not a ___(name a physical fruits_. If you want to be a ___________ you need to know, you can’t be a Fruit of the Spirit because they are LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCIENCE, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL.” During this lesson we integrated:
a. Science by helping them discovered the definition for physical fruit
b. Religious Moral Education by discussing God being spirit, yet he came to earth physically as Jesus the Messiah, in attempt to restore the relationship our sins are ruining.
c. Math by having the children fold the paper into fractions, then learn the position names of the lines and boxes (ex. Centre, Vertical Line, Top, Right, Middle Box)
d. Language by practicing correct spelling, sounding out the letters in the word and defining words.
e. Social Studies by explaining how the Presidents call for Attitudinal Change can be accomplished through individuals like themselves allowing the Holy Spirit in their lives to grow and strengthen them to produce the Fruits of the Spirit.

II. Teaching Team: Six retired teachers from the UK help bring transformation to education in Sierra Leone. Please read the article.

III. Computers that were shipped in the October 2008 container were shared to people who can use them (6 to Ministry of Education for staff and a teacher resource center, 8 to various Non Government Organizations like Compassion Action Ministries, Hope Micro, and World Hope International, 7 to schools like Mother Esther, Samaria Primary, Methodist City Mission, Albert Academy, St. Edwards

IV. FLAXIS (First Ladies Attitudinal Change In Sierra Leone) TE staff participated in the ceremony launching the FLAXIS project, then with the teachers and writers in the editing process.

V. New Staff: Samuel Saidu Sesay joined TE in May. He is a valuable contributor. Please read the article about him.

VI. Transformation Education Resource Center space rented! In addition to the government teacher resource center, TE has recently been blessed with no just one but two much desired building spaces that will be use for training and equipping of educators, and church leaders. One of the TE sites in near the center of the city easily accessible, while the other site has a wonderful facility, but is accessible only by foot or 4-Wheel Drive vehicles.

EduNations Dedication of Refurbished School

Transforamtion Education Teacher Resource Center space newly rented

Transformation Education is renting the top floor. The purpose is to resource and mentor teachers to do their best to create excellent, positive learning environment.

Introducing Samuel Saidu Sesay

Transformation Education Resource Centre Manager

Samuel Saidu Sesay was born in Sierra Leone in 1974 to a Christian father and a Muslim mother. He was raised by his mother in a rural setting and so grew up first as a Muslim and later as a churchgoer. He personally came to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ in 1994. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics, a Postgraduate Diploma in Education and a Master of Arts degree in Peace and Development Studies. He has also completed courses in Journalism (SL), Christian Leadership (SL), Basic Security (SL) and Theology (UK). He has served in various capacities both in private business organizations and in Christian ministries in Sierra Leone and abroad. He is married to Catherine and they are blessed with one daughter, Samuella.
His engagement with Transformation Education is considered by him as a fulfilled desire because he has always wanted to work in a Christian organization where he will not only be growing in his faith but will be able to help others grow in their faith and walk with the Lord. He hopes to bring to Transformation Education a blend of his administrative and managerial skills as well as his passions to share his faith with others. He will be mostly responsible to manage the Education Resource Centre from where he hopes to promote an understanding of the Christian faith as well as encourage the Head Teachers and Teachers who come to the Centre to pass that understanding and knowledge of the Lord and the Christian faith to those they teach in their different schools.
Please pray that Samuel will settle down well and soon and be filled with God’s grace and wisdom as he serves with us at Transformation Education.

Praises and Prayer Requests Spoken at the April Head Teacher's Meeting:

Please Praise and Pray with Us

Praises
1.Less complaints from the parents
2.Attendance is more regular because of positive recognition.
3.Students like to memorize the Bible Verses and Definitions for the weekly character word studied.
4.Students enjoy with TE staff visit and work in the schools
5.One of the 11 schools just had their building nicely remodeled by the SABABU project
6.The students "memorizing the verses gives mental strength that brings height."
7.More students have reported back to school on the first day this term. (It has been common for many students to not come the first week of a school term.)

Prayer Requests:
1.For all class 6 students to do well on their National Primary School Exams.
2.Preparations and production of School Thanksgiving Services
3.Prayer against violence and vandalism
4.Prayer to recover stolen school property.
5.Prayer for the student who have not returned back to school after the holiday to return quickly.

Coputers to Secondary School who are grateful

SD Director of Hope Micro acquired 2 computers for staff training

Thank you for the Computers!!!

With the donation from Crawford Central School District, Pennsylvania Transformation Education was able to provide computers to several who need them.
6 to the Ministry of Education (for staff and for a teacher resource center)
8 to various Non Government Organizations (NGO)s and programs that need them to equip their staff (Compassion Action Ministries, Hope Mico, World Hope Internationals)
7 to schools (Mother Esther, Samaria Primary, Methodist City Mission, Albert Academy, St. Edwards...)

We are thankful for the books!!

Today, Nursery Classes at Mother Esther enjoyed stories from text books donated through Transformation Education. "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" and "Will You be My Friend?"

TE progressing

Grateful, that today’s Head Teachers meeting is leading to a committee meetings, called and chaired by locals who are taking ownership of Transformation Education.

We released a job advertisement today for an Office Manager for Transformation Education. Deadline for applications is March 19th.

Over 200 years of education experience blessing Sierra Leone!!

TE teachers participate in a workshop on teaching methods and school administration lead by 6 retired UK educators.

Mission Direct partnered with Transformation Education

Mission Direct is an organization that takes teams of volunteers to serve missions in developing countries. January 11th-23rd was their first time to have at teacher training team serve with Transformation Education. The volunteer team consisted of 6 retired school teachers. Each one was a blessing. We worked together wonderfully.

http://www.missiondirect.org

Six retired teachers from the UK help bring transformation to education in Sierra Leone

By Crissa Nelson

Teachers from 11 primary schools in Sierra Leone saw the classroom from their student’s perspective at an all day Transformation Education workshop lead by six retired teachers from the United Kingdom. Friday 15 January, 84 teachers gathered to learn new tools for engaging their students in hands on, experiential learning. According to the laughter and songs heard spilling out from the three classroom rotations—the teachers learned first hand how engaging, interactive teaching can lead to fun, retainable learning.

“This is a vibrant and motivating team. They have a wealth of knowledge and they want us to share in it,” Mr. Samba Conteh said. “I am blessed that Transformation Education has made it possible for my own school to benefit from making such a vibrant team available to this country.” Mr. Conteh is the Head Teacher at Modern Elementary School and was excited to learn leadership skills for how to assess his school and teachers and encourage improvements from a rotation specifically for head teachers.

Transformation Education (TE), directed by Gwen Smith, hosted this team of teachers from Mission Direct, engaging them in opportunities to work in the classrooms and with the teachers of the 11 pilot schools TE works with. Throughout their two-week visit, the team has conducted workshops everyday on diverse subject matter within individual schools. The workshop on Friday engaged all the Head Teachers and many classroom teachers in a workshop focused on specific teaching methods and administrative assessment.

“I learned about different techniques of teaching because learning is divided into three groups, audio input, visual input and aesthetic input. So to engage the children, I will tell them a story, ask them questions about it and then have them dramatize it,” Hawa V. Kamara, teacher of class six at Baptist Primary School, said.

TE works consistently in 11 public and private schools in Freetown to teach and implement a Classroom Discipline Plan (CDP) and Biblical Based Curriculum (BBC) to help teachers manage their classrooms and encourage character building learning.

“After the very first workshop I implemented the CDP in my class,” Mrs. Kamara said. “I have seen a great difference in terms of behavior. They ask permission, raise their hands, clap for each other…and the children learn more.”

“Transformation Education has really yielded good dividends in my school. With the CDP discipline has really taken shape. The children know what is expected of them,” Mr. Conteh said. “The BBC character traits are [also] very good for the children. For example, caring. The children are told about it for a whole week and by the end of the week you can see their behavior changing for the better.”

“If actually implemented, this will impact the whole education system of Sierra Leone,” he said.

TE works closely with Ministry of Education staff, Mr. Albert Karimu, who praises Transformation Education’s impact on education in Sierra Leone. “TE is very, very essential,” he said. “I am visiting schools to monitor and see if what we are teaching is being implemented, [what I have seen] is very good. There is transformation.”

Mr. Karimu recognizes and welcomes the value of outside perspectives and techniques brought by the team.

“I have been with the team all this week and it has been very successful. Most of their teaching is practical and interactive so I think the teachers will be able to take it back to their schools and implement the interactive style,” Mr. Karimu said.

Kadiatu Tarawaley, teacher of class five at Samaria Primary School, is excited to bring back what she has learned to her classroom. “These are very experienced women exchanging their methods and experience so we can apply it to our classrooms,” she said.

“[The team] really passed on their own experience to us and now I am going to pass it on [to my teachers],” Head Teacher of Mother Ester’s School, Abigail Juana said. “Transformation Education has done a good job for me and my school. It is wonderful to have TE in this country, from us others schools will be able to learn.”

http://transformationeducation.blogspot.com/
http://gwenjoy.blogspot.com/

Challenges the Head Teacher Face

Teachers and students are in the habit of not coming to school the first week after holiday.
The head teachers do not have the authority to with hold the pay of a teacher who does not come to school. So a teacher can miss weeks without a financial consequence.

God, please teach us to humble ourselves and turn from wickedness so you will heal this land.

January Head Teacher Meeting

The meeting was very productive with 10 of the 11 schools represented.
Here are some of the highlights.

1. Meditation on "If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray, and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” II Chronicles 7:14.

2. Common understanding that TE is expecting the Head Teachers to make sure the foundation laid first term (Constructive Discipline, Biblical Based Curriculum) is firmly established. TE is willing to support, and wants to start helping to lay on the foundation additional educational concepts (Phonice, reading, writing skills...). Those faithful with few can be entrusted with much.

3. We drafted a job description for a chairman. Next month we will establish the chairmanship. They are taking ownership of the Transformation Education partnership.

4. We coordinated schedules so the short term British teacher mentor team can participate at each school.

5. We mapped out an coordinated Biblical Based Character traits we plan to teach during the second term.

They are taking initiative for their schools so it is a blessing to come along side and support them.